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A Dance to the Music of Time: Fourth Movement

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A Dance to the Music of Time: Fourth Movement

By: Anthony Powell
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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About this listen

Anthony Powell's universally acclaimed epic encompasses a four-volume panorama of twentieth century London. Hailed by Time as "brilliant literary comedy as well as a brilliant sketch of the times," A Dance to the Music of Time opens just after World War I. Amid the fever of the 1920s and the first chill of the 1930s, Nick Jenkins and his friends confront sex, society, business, and art.

In the second volume they move to London in a whirl of marriage and adulteries, fashions and frivolities, personal triumphs and failures. These books "provide an unsurpassed picture, at once gay and melancholy, of social and artistic life in Britain between the wars" (Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.).

The third volume follows Nick into army life and evokes London during the blitz. In the climactic final volume, England has won the war and must now count the losses. In this climactic volume of A Dance to the Music of Time, Nick Jenkins describes a world of ambition, intrigue, and dissolution. England has won the war, but now the losses, physical and moral, must be counted. Pamela Widmerpool sets a snare for the young writer Trapnel, while her husband suffers private agony and public humiliation. Set against a background of politics, business, high society, and the counterculture in England and Europe, this magnificent work of art sounds an unforgettable requiem for an age.

As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Anthony Powell's book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview – where James Atlas interviews Charles McGrath about the life and work of Anthony Powell – begins as soon as the audiobook ends.

©1971 Anthony Powell (P)2009 Audible, Inc.
Literary Fiction England Fiction Marriage War
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Critic reviews

"Vance's narration captivates listeners throughout this outstanding examination of a life in progress." ( AudioFile)
"Anthony Powell is the best living English novelist by far. His admirers are addicts, let us face it, held in thrall by a magician." ( Chicago Tribune)
"One of the most important works of fiction since the Second World War. . . . The novel looked, as it began, something like a comedy of manners; then, for a while, like a tragedy of manners; now like a vastly entertaining, deeply melancholy, yet somehow courageous statement about human experience." ( The New Yorker)

What listeners say about A Dance to the Music of Time: Fourth Movement

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Well worth the listen

I have read the twelve novels twice so this was my third encounter, an encounter which proved to be one of great pleasure.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful read

His prose is rich and wonderful, nothing quite like it in the English literary school of the twentieth century. The additional commentary is very interesting too. Simon Vance is an incredible narrator - he brings the characters to life, and there are a large pantheon of those! Couldn't recommend this series more highly

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Classic series

This series ends on a real high. The last couple of books in particular are spectacular. The series is a masterpiece. One of the best literary experiences I have ever enjoyed. Profound, funny, dramatic, and remarkably accessible and easy to listen to. This is the second time that I have enjoyed this series. I’m looking forward to doing it at third time.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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A terrific Movement but not the Best

Another excellent Movement but not as good as the Third which is the best of the lot. However the Four Movements taken as a whole are totally captivating and deserve Five Stars.

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Wonderful

I have really enjoyed this series of books, the author is witty and brings his caricature’s to life.

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A classic of its time but flawed ( and long!)

Charting the lives, loves and style of his generation and social class from after the First World War to the 1970s it is lusciously written prose ( occasionally annoyingly so). The characters come and go so the absence of a written dramatis personae with the audio book makes it difficult at times to recall events and personalities but persistence is rewarded. There is a cycle to everything much as in the Poussin painting from which the title comes ( although it is a different artwork that concludes the story).
The later books are less well composed and a bit of a slog. The narrator does his best to master and differentiate the different characters but I think a bit of variety with others reading certain parts would have helped to break the inevitable monotony of tone over a 12 volume work.

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Wonderful company

It’s a bit like being at a glittering cocktail party with the added bonus you can actually hear the conversation. Have taken all these characters along on many a lockdown walk

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Excellent but less satisfying that the first three

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It rounds off a magnificent work of 'documentary' fiction.

What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?

Vance's performance has been wonderful and steady through the whole of Powell's huge work. The narrative voice of Nick Jenkins has been dry, almost aloof, and terribly funny.

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Inspiring, with wonderful characters

Probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I could have listened to more. Excellent narration.

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Finished!

I finally finished today the Fourth Movement having listened to the first 3 over the last few weeks during lockdown. I cannot stress how brilliant the narrator Simon Vance is. It must have been a mammoth task taking on all the different characters and providing them each with a unique voice. I first read the books in the 70s as I was enchanted by the wonderful titles. The books cover 60 years from Nick as a schoolboy to an old man. The books are about his observations of those round him rather than biographical. Characters come and go but Powell quickly put the returning character into context so there is no problem of losing track of whose who. Just wonderful. Goodness knows what I can listen to next as Dance to the Music of Time is matchless.

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